Feds Allowing Last Part of Medicaid Overhaul

Governor Sam Brownback has indefinitely extended a ban on expanding Medicaid in Kansas under the federal health care overhaul.

Kansas officials say they’ll move ahead with the last part of an overhaul of the state’s Medicaid program after receiving permission from the federal government.

Gov. Sam Brownback announced Thursday that in-home services for 8,500 developmentally disabled Kansans will become part of the overhauled program, known as KanCare. The changes will take effect Saturday.

The $3 billion-a-year Medicaid program provides medical coverage for about 345,000 poor and disabled Kansans. Last year, the state turned administration of most of the program over to three private health insurance companies.

Advocates for the developmentally disabled have been vocal critics of the overhaul, and their concerns led the state to delay including their services in the overhaul until this year.

The plan had been do that in January, but federal officials delayed it.